What happens when your shipment hits a problem
The email arrives at 3pm on a Friday: “We regret to inform you that your shipment has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.” No details, no solutions, no idea when your goods will actually arrive. Sound familiar?
Every shipment is a small journey with dozens of potential complications. Weather delays, port congestion, customs issues, vehicle breakdowns, documentation problems – the list is long and largely outside anyone’s complete control. The difference between logistics providers isn’t whether problems happen (they do), but how they handle them when they do.
The anatomy of a logistics crisis
Problems in shipping rarely announce themselves with warning. Here are some real scenarios that can turn a routine delivery into a headache:
The Friday Afternoon Special Your urgent shipment gets stuck in customs because one digit is wrong on the commercial invoice. The customs office closes for the weekend. Your customer is expecting delivery on Monday.
The Cascade Effect A lorry breaks down on the M25. The replacement vehicle is smaller, so only half your goods fit. The rest gets rerouted to a different hub, but there’s no space on tomorrow’s service. Suddenly your 2-day delivery becomes a 5-day ordeal.
The Documentation Disaster Your European shipment hits a post-Brexit customs check. The paperwork that worked last month doesn’t meet this month’s requirements. The goods are stuck while everyone tries to work out what documents are actually needed.
The Weather Wild Card A summer storm grounds flights and shuts motorway sections. Your time-sensitive shipment is sitting in a warehouse 200 miles away from where it needs to be, with no clear path forward.
Reactive vs proactive: two different worlds
When problems hit, you’ll quickly discover what kind of freight forwarder you’re working with.
The reactive approach
- You find out about problems from your customers, not your logistics provider
- “Updates” consist of apologies and vague timelines
- Solutions involve waiting for problems to resolve themselves
- Communication happens during office hours only
- Each problem is treated as unique and unexpected
The proactive approach
- Problems are spotted and communicated before they affect delivery schedules
- Updates include specific actions being taken and realistic timelines
- Solutions involve alternative routes, methods, or arrangements
- Someone is always available to handle urgent issues
- Problems are anticipated and contingency plans exist
The questions that reveal everything
When evaluating freight forwarders, these questions will tell you everything you need to know about how they handle problems:
“What happened to my last shipment that was delayed?” Good answer: Specific details about the cause and the actions taken to resolve it. Bad answer: Generic apologies without details.
“Who do I call at 7pm on a Sunday if there’s an urgent problem?” Good answer: A specific person or service with a commitment to respond. Bad answer: “We’ll get back to you on Monday.”
“How do you monitor shipments in transit?” Good answer: Specific systems and processes for tracking and early problem detection. Bad answer: “We get updates from our partners.”
“What’s your backup plan if the primary route fails?” Good answer: Multiple options and clear criteria for when to use them. Bad answer: “We’ll figure something out.”
When logistics problems become your problems
Bad problem management doesn’t just cause delivery delays – it creates ripple effects throughout your business:
Customer relationship damage When you can’t give your customers accurate information about their orders, they lose confidence in your ability to deliver. That damage can last long after the delayed shipment arrives.
Operational disruption Your team spends time chasing updates, managing customer complaints, and trying to work around delays instead of focusing on their actual jobs.
Inventory disruption Unexpected delays can leave you short of stock or scrambling to find alternative suppliers, creating knock-on effects throughout your operation.
Emergency costs Rush shipments, expedited services, and last-minute alternatives often cost significantly more than the original delivery would have.
What good problem solving looks like
Great freight forwarders don’t prevent all problems – they handle them so well that you barely notice. Because we care about your peace of mind, here’s what to look for:
Early warning systems The best providers spot potential issues before they become actual delays and communicate proactively about what’s happening and what they’re doing about it.
Real solutions, not excuses Instead of explaining why something can’t be done, they focus on what can be done. Alternative routes, different service levels, partial shipments – whatever keeps your business moving.
Clear communication You get specific information: what went wrong, what’s being done, when to expect updates, and what the new timeline looks like. No jargon, no vague promises.
Learning from experience Good providers learn from each problem and adjust their processes to reduce the chances of it happening again.
How the best logistics companies handle problems
The most professional freight forwarders know that how they handle problems defines relationships more than perfect deliveries do. The best approaches typically include:
Proactive monitoring Watching weather forecasts, tracking traffic conditions, monitoring port operations, and maintaining strong relationships with partners to spot problems early.
Clear escalation procedures Everyone knows who to call when problems arise, and what authority they have to make decisions and solve issues quickly.
Transparent communication Telling you what’s happening when they know it, not when it’s convenient. Good news and bad news both get communicated promptly.
Solution-focused response Spending time finding alternatives rather than documenting excuses. If the original plan won’t work, finding one that will.
Continuous improvement Every problem becomes a learning opportunity. Analysing what went wrong and adjusting processes to reduce the chances of it happening again.
Preparing for the inevitable
Since problems will happen, the smart approach is working with people who handle them well:
- Choose logistics partners based on their problem-solving track record, not just their prices
- Establish clear communication protocols before problems arise
- Build buffer time into critical deliveries where possible
- Maintain relationships with multiple logistics providers for genuinely urgent situations
Perfect logistics don’t exist. Every freight forwarder will have delays, every carrier will have problems, and every complex shipment has potential complications.
The difference is whether you’re working with people who see problems as their problems to solve, or as reasons to send apologetic emails and wait for things to improve. Because we care about keeping your business moving, we believe you deserve partners who take ownership when things go wrong.
In the end, you’re not just buying transportation – you’re buying peace of mind. And peace of mind comes from knowing that when things go wrong (which they will), you’re working with people who will make them right.
Because in logistics, as in life, it’s not about avoiding problems. It’s about solving them well.
Looking for proactive logistics support? Contact our team to discuss how we can help keep your business moving smoothly.